The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 6 Review

The Mandalorian™ is back this week with a more lighthearted, frivolous outing. “Chapter 22: Guns for Hire” finds Din Djarin™ and Bo-Katan Kryze™ teaming up to solve a droid dilemma on an opulent Outer Rim™ world. We’ve got guest stars out the wazoo in this episode — perhaps the most per episode in the show’s history. It’s also one of the most visually and aesthetically pleasing episodes.

Some fans might not enjoy this installment because it feels like “filler.” Well, except for the closing moments when Bo-Katan overpowers Axe Woves™ and gets the Darksaber™. We revisit a few familiar faces while meeting new ones as the series looks to expand and deepen its lore. There’s a sense of community this season as we continue broadening the scope beyond Din and Grogu™. I’d argue it’s one of the season’s big themes. But is it the right direction to take? Does it stray too far from the original draw of The Mandalorian — just a bounty hunter and his green son?

“Chapter 22: Guns for Hire” is enjoyable, although undoubtedly not the show’s strongest episode. It does align with earlier outings in that we see Din and Grogu travel to a new world to remedy a problem, much like a case-of-the-week situation.

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Space Love

We open on a Quarren™ ship as it soars through space. You might recall this alien race from season 2 when they entrapped our Mando. The Quarren captain responds to an approaching Imperial vessel. She chats with the vessel’s captain, who is none other than Axe Woves. Remember Bo-Katan’s buddies Axe Woves and Koska Reeves™? Now they’re guns for hire, along with the remainder of Bo-Katan’s army. Axe tells the Quarren captain he’s on a paid task from the Mon Calamarians™ to bring home the prince with whom the Quarrens absconded.

Plot twist! It wasn’t to ruffle the feathers of the Mon Calamarians or test the boundaries of their already tense relationship with them, but for love! The Quarren captain is head over heels for the Mon Calamarian prince. He doesn’t want to go home; however, his lady love nudges him in that direction.

Finally, the prince departs and joins Axe Woves for a return trip home. This is the second episode helmed by Bryce Dallas Howard to showcase alien love. Fun fact: Harry Holland, Tom Holland’s younger brother, plays the prince.

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Plazir-15

Meanwhile, Din Djarin, Bo-Katan Kryze, Grogu, and R5-D4™ fly into the airspace of Plazir-15™, a lavish world in the Outer Rim Territories that claims to be the Outer Rim’s only “direct democracy.” Bo-Katan hopes to persuade Axe Woves, who’s been hired by Plazir-15 as protection, to rally for the Mandalorian™ cause. It’s part of her assignment from The Armorer™ as the tribe prepares to retake Mandalore™.

After landing, Din, Bo-Katan, and Grogu are ordered to visit Plazir-15’s leadership before heading to the camp stationed outside the capital city. They enter what appears to be an opulent state building to find a splendid feast, with Plazir-15’s leaders, Captain Bombardier™ and The Duchess™, sitting at the head of the table. Yes, that’s Jack Black and Lizzo (who looks gorgeous). This is just the tip of the episode’s star-studded cameo roster.

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A Favor 

The Duchess asks to hold Grogu, so she entices him with food despite Din informing her that he doesn’t warm to most people. Hey, food is the way to any green baby’s heart. Bo-Katan asks to speak with the Mandalorian guns they hired. Bombardier, who used to be Imperial but was sent to Plazir-15 as part of his rehabilitation into the New Republic, reveals they must do him a solid first. 

Turns out they have a rogue droid problem. This is a lap of luxury-type society that spends their days doing a big pile of nothing. As such, they rely heavily on droids. Now, these are former Imperial droids that would’ve otherwise become scrap had Plazir-15 not found a use for them. Din and Bo-Katan agree to investigate. Grogu stays where the food and loving pets are. I would, too.

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An Investigation 

Our newly designated detective duo begins their investigation by asking Commissioner Helgait™ to show them footage of these rogue droids acting out. Great Scott! It’s none other than Christopher Lloyd! Helgait’s footage is incriminating, to say the least. Droids spilling things purposely, droids behaving awfully in front of the “organics,” and droids committing murder. That last one’s a biggie. Bo-Katan asks for a list of the known rogue droids, but Helgait reveals they must first go through the Ugnaughts™, who create the droids. Din knows the Ugnaughts well.

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I Have Spoken 

Din and Bo-Katan travel to the bowels of Plazir-15, where the Ugnaughts toil away on droid construction. Bo-Katan attempts to accuse them of creating faulty droids. However, Din swoops in with a different approach, catering to them and their unique way of speaking. They stop and listen, even offering our pair nourishment. Din converses with the Ugnaught’s leader, Saifir™. Mando reveals he knew Kuiil™ (RIP), so that’s why he’s accustomed to their ways.

Bo-Katan keeps interjecting with harsh criticism, pinning the blame on the Ugnaughts for malfunctioning droids that kill people. She’s the bad cop in this scenario, while Din tries on “good cop” for size. He eventually obtains a list of locations where these rogue droids can be found.

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Kicking Droids

Din and Bo-Katan make their next pitstop at the loading docks. They chat with the Battle Droid™ foreman, who claims every droid is re-certified and tested for safety. While Bo-Katan questions the foreman, Din messes with each droid carrying cargo as it passes him. His intent is to reveal which droids are bothered by his antics. Then, he proceeds to kick the passing droids like the seven year old he is. This scene cracked me up. Mando just wants to watch the world burn.

However, his efforts pay off, as one rogue droid breaks from the line of droids and beats the snot out of Din. It wouldn’t be the first time for our Mando. Din chases the malfunctioning droid while Bo-Katan follows hot on their heels. Re-certified, huh? We watch our detectives pursue the droid through a Blade Runner-esque metropolis, culminating in the droid’s death. While examining the metal corpse, Bo-Katan finds a spark pad from The Resistor™, which Din believes is a droid bar.

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The Resistor

Once Din and Bo-Katan enter the bar, they’re met with instant silence. Droids are uneasy around organics entering their designated space. They question the bartender droid (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard’s husband, Seth Gabel) regarding the spark pads.

He leads them to an office, where he reveals that each droid is served Nepenthé™, which sounds like a fancy drink. Side note: Someone needs to make an actual Star Wars™-themed drink called Nepenthé. Anyway, it’s a combination of viscous lubricant that protects against mechanical wear and provides “program refreshing sub-particles.” There was a bad batch (teehee) of Nepenthé from which the malfunctioning droids imbibed. Uh-oh.

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A Discovery

While at a lab (or a droid morgue, if you will), Din and Bo-Katan chat with a lab tech who examined the rogue droid’s mechanical body (the one who pummeled Din). The lab tech discovers a chain code embedded in the metal of the malfunctioning droids. Oh, and they were ordered illegally — not through the government registry — by Commissioner Helgait. Not Doc Brown!

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An Arrest

Din and Bo-Katan confront Helgait and order him to confess to his betrayal. Helgait threatens to morph the planet’s docile workforce back into the battle droids they used to be if Din and Bo-Katan don’t leave him be. We learn he’s a Separatist, claiming he never relented to the Empire nor the New Republic. He’s also a Count Dooku™ fanboy, which doesn’t sit well with Bo-Katan, and for good reason: Her sister, Satine Kryze™, died under Dooku’s rule. Bo-Katan zaps Helgait mid-monologue, incapacitating him.

Then, Din and Bo-Katan bring the perpetrator before Bombardier and The Duchess. Helgait explains himself. He believes Plazir-15 hasn’t been the same since Bombardier took over. He’s not a fan of Bombardier’s Imperial past. Helgait, who likes The Duchess, hopes to earn her forgiveness one day. She banishes him to the moon of Paraqaat™, where he’ll live in exile.

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A Knighthood 

With the malfunctioning droid mystery solved, The Duchess bestows knighthood upon Grogu. So, he’s a Jedi™ youngling, a Mandalorian foundling, and a knight? Daddy Din must be so proud. He’s gonna need a big glass display case for all of Grogu’s awards and distinctions. I mean, I’d love to be knighted by Lizzo. Bombardier and The Duchess reveal our heroes can return to Plazir-15 at their pleasure.

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“Will you yield?”

Bo-Katan and Din now have access to Axe Woves and his crew on the city’s outskirts. They even have lawn chairs and coolers for a good old-fashioned campfire party (only kidding). Bo-Katan challenges Axe for control of her army, which he accepts. They battle it out, with Bo-Katan rising victorious. She doesn’t want to kill him because too much Mandalorian blood has been shed. 

After prevailing over Axe in combat, Bo-Katan addresses the group, impressing the importance of unity. Axe asks why she won’t challenge Din to a duel since he possesses the Darksaber. No one will unite under her if she doesn’t have it. Din reveals it technically belongs to Bo-Katan — she used it to save him when that giant crab on Mandalore kidnapped him. It’s true, even if it seems like a loophole. He hands the Darksaber to Bo-Katan. She unsheathes its blade. Well, that was easy. 

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Ultimately, the cameos in “Chapter 22: Guns for Hire” are more distracting than anything. While I enjoy these performers and what they contribute to the industry, it’s difficult to see past their names, so they cannot entirely disappear in their roles. Perhaps if we had one major cameo and not three, that would be a different story. It feels overstuffed.

On a separate note, Din and Bo-Katan’s relationship is fun to watch, and it’s nice to see Din let loose a bit here. Pedro Pascal gets to showcase his comedic capabilities. Who knew Din was the fun uncle while Bo-Katan was the “straight man?” Katee Sackhoff plays this well. The Bo-Katan of the season 3 premiere would’ve tried to fight Din for the Darksaber, but their bond has evolved so much over six episodes. So, while simply handing over the Darksaber might present as a cop-out, it works.

Did you enjoy this episode and its star-studded cast? Where do we go from here? Will we see Moff Gideon™ in the final two episodes of the season? Join the conversation alongside other Star Wars fans in our Let Your Spoiler Sideshow: Star Wars Facebook Group, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!